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MH Equipment Blog

For the past three years, manufacturing must have seemed like a high-stakes poker game to some people. It also seems the game has been played only two ways—fold, or go all in.

If you have ever seen the World Series of Poker, though, you know the only people who go all in are either supremely confident or desperate, and neither seems like an especially sound business strategy.

There is a third way to play, of course. It takes a lot more work and a lot more patience, and it won’t always yield positive results on every play, but it is a surer way to build your chips. You have to place your bets in the right places, at the right moments. You must manage the game for the long term, and not just play the game looking for the one big hand.

Manufacturers around the U.S. and around the world are succeeding in manufacturing because they have placed their bets on the right aspects of their business. They cannot control what other players have in their hands. They play the cards they are dealt and seize the opportunity to improve when it comes along.

Our 2011 Top Plant winner, NACCO Material Handling Group of Berea, Ky., is an outstanding example of placing your bets in the right place. NACCO bet on its people to help grow the organization. In doing so, the company has helped grow the community. Read More…

Mitch Holland is our Aftermarket Representative in Dayton, OH and has been with the company 29 YEARS!!

Mitch started out at a competitor before coming to Bode Finn in 1983 which became Hyster Mideast and eventually MH Equipment.

“My expertise is has been in the parts area – that’s where I first started in the business before moving into the sales department.” He says his proudest sales experience was setting up and managing a large parts consignment at the GM plant in Dayton, OH for many years.

Mitch’s wife Nancy is an RN at Miami Valley Hospital and they have 2 children. His son Ryan and his wife Kristi have given Mitch 3 little grandchildren – Haley, Coby, and Brady. His daughter Brittany attends college at Cleveland State University where she is studying speech therapy. Brittany is also an avid volleyball player and Mitch and his wife really enjoy spending time together traveling to her volleyball games.

When Mitch has extra time he likes to play softball, go bowling and fishing, and watch the Cincinnati Reds or Miami Dolphins play.

“What I like most about working at MH Equipment is that all the people are committed to their jobs. Everyone enjoys helping others – I can say they are my friends and we all work together to make MH Equipment a great place to work. It’s nice to work for a company that cares about me as a person and understands about family life – that’s always a good feeling to have about a company.”

Today we would like to introduce you to Mr. Shawn Canfield. Shawn came to MH Equipment in early 2011 and is an Aftermarket Sales Representative in the Evansville, IN territory.

“After 20 years in the aftermarket automotive accessories field, I realized that I was ready for more of a challenge, so I entered the industrial equipment industry. I started in the industry with Equipment Depot (formerly Levee Lift) as a Product Support Representative and was promoted to Field Service Manager. However, due to the economic downturn, my position was eliminated. What I thought was a bad thing turned into a very good thing. I was able to apply for a position with MH Equipment. After meeting with Chad Brocious and John Kinder, I felt very comfortable with the culture and philosophy of MH Equipment and knew that I wanted to be of part of it.”

Shawn says that the most rewarding part of his job so far has been the freedom that MH Equipment has given him to refine his sales skills and step into new territories that he has never been given the opportunity to explore before. He adds, “It’s important to be able to talk to people and understand their needs. I believe that when you develop a relationship and are able to communicate with them at a level everyone is comfortable with, you are able to focus more on the need and less on the translation. It’s a very satisfying experience to make current customer relationships stronger and also have the opportunity to develop new ones.”

The most unique product application Shawn has been faced with was an ordinance handler that he proposed to the United States Navy. “They needed an ordinance handler that would pick up a vertical 2000lb, 16 ” diameter bomb and lay it into a horizontal bomb cradle. We were able to come up with the design and the safety features to insure that the load was not released until it was in the cradle.”

Shawn has been married to his wife Penny for almost 16 years. Together they have 3 children – two sons – Kaelin who is 14 and Christian who is 11 and a 4-year-old daughter, Kiersten. “In the summer we like to take weekend trips. We also like to camp and fish. When the weather is cold, we like to hang around the house and play games as a family.”

Shawn says he never really grew up when it comes to electronics. “In reality I’m still a kid when it comes to new gadgets and games. I even went as far as going to the Consumer Electronics Trade Show (CES) in 2001. So I guess if there was one thing that people don’t know about me, it would be the fact that I am still a video game nerd.”

“I enjoy the freedom that MH gives me to develop my sales ability and the opportunity to build my business on the needs of my region. More often than not, companies try to make everything uniform along with their employees. MH Equipment recognizes that not all customers are the same and must be treated on an individual basis, and insures that MH personnel understand, nurture and promote that.”

If you want to become a forklift operator the first thing you need to do is get certified. First and foremost it’s a matter of safety – not only for you but for those working around you as well. If that wasn’t reason enough, certified forklift drivers save money. While safety is the top priority for company’s money is a very close second. Every year millions of dollars are lost due to forklift accidents that could have been prevented with proper training.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require all forklift operators to study forklift safety and operation, both in a class and behind the wheel before they can be licensed.

GREENVILLE, N.C. (December 5, 2011) – In an independent survey conducted by Peerless Media Research Group, Hyster Company ranked No. 1 in brand satisfaction. Current customers of leading lift truck brands including Toyota, Crown and Raymond were evaluated.

“It is truly a testament to our associates’ hard work that we received the top-place ranking in brand satisfaction,” said Jonathan Dawley, president of Hyster Distribution. “This award represents not only our commitment to producing durable, long-lasting products, but also to the outstanding dealer base that drives customer satisfaction every day.”

Peerless Media Research Group’s study surveyed individuals in September 2011 who indicated that they were involved in their company’s lift truck purchase process. The sample group was selected from its Logistics Management subscriber base and represented leading lift truck brands including Hyster, Toyota, Crown and Raymond. The results were based on 540 qualified respondents with a margin of error of ± 4.3 percent.

“This is the second No. 1 award that Hyster has received in a four-month span,” continued Dawley. “The first resulted from a July Peerless survey in which Hyster® lift trucks ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for total cost of ownership. Together, our two No. 1 awards are helping propel Hyster to the forefront of the lift truck industry – showcasing our strength in the aftermarket and parts and service arenas.

About Hyster Company Based in Greenville, N.C., Hyster Company (www.hyster.com) is a leading worldwide lift truck designer and manufacturer. Hyster Company offers 130 models configured for gasoline, LPG, diesel and electric power, with the widest capacity range in the industry — from 2,000 to 115,000 lbs. Supported by the industry’s largest and most experienced dealer network, Hyster Company builds tough, durable lift trucks that deliver high productivity, low total cost of ownership, easy serviceability and advanced ergonomic features; accompanied by outstanding parts, service and training support. In an independent survey conducted by Peerless Media Research Group, the full line of Hyster Company lift trucks ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for total cost of ownership in 2011.

Hyster Company is an operating division of NACCO Materials Handling Group, Inc. (NMHG), which employs approximately 5,000 people worldwide. NMHG is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of NACCO Industries, Inc. (NYSE:NC).

Often times while growing up my parents had vehicles that weren’t exactly “reliable” – spending money on fancy new cars – or even mechanics for that matter - was never really their thing… However, being prepared for the worst definitely was! (Like Boy Scout prepared… ALL the time!)

No matter what time of year it was there was ALWAYS a tool box stashed in the car, and if it was winter you can bet there were blankets, candles, matches, boots, sand, and even snacks in the car too!

I’ll never forget how exasperated my dad was one night a couple of years ago when I stopped by their house – in the dead of winter with several inches of snow on the ground – AND wearing my bedroom slippers of course. He just about came unglued! “What are you doing?! What if your car broke down?!” (I think he may have even called me crazy…)

I scoffed – “I have a cell phone and roadside service… what do you mean?”

Oh did I ever get an earful!

While cell phones and road service are great they’re not the only tools to have in your winter survival vehicle kit. I have to give my dad credit on that one… I guess I would be really grateful to have a blanket and boots if for some crazy reason my cell phone wasn’t working!

So, here’s a list of must haves if you are going to be traveling in the Midwest this winter (even if it is just a few miles to mom and dad’s house you go!)

Make sure you update the contents of your kit on a regular basis and make sure all drivers and passengers know where to find it.

With all of the snow and inclement weather we’ve experienced in the midwest these past few days, our next “Safe in the Moment” post is how to be safe when driving in snow and wet weather. We included wet weather because, well… we hope the snow will melt sometime!